Forever my Rival, Forever my Friend
by ShimmeringRivers
Summary: HIATUS - FILES LOST, WILL UPDATE ONCE I REWRITE THE NEW CHAPTER! When Link left the forest, Mido never knew who had helped them...but what if he had found out...? No pairings. please note that there are some things different to the games and some references to the manga, thankyou! rated T in case. STATUS: Chap-2 up!
1. Prologue: Link's Goodbye

the legend of Zelda:

Forever my Rival, Forever my Friend

**PROLOGUE**

_Link:_

_I'd made up my mind: I was leaving the safety of my forest home. It had been a hard decision to make, to leave everyone behind and journey out into the world alone, but I had to…and I guess I wasn't really alone, I had Navi at least, she was kind to me and she made it easier to make the choice to go…it was __**him**__ who had made it so hard to turn and leave…even if we had acted like we hated each other, we really were the best of friends…not that I think he ever knew. Mido had told me "Never come back, you MORON!" but I know what he really meant, and it was touching that he wanted me to come back home some day…it was hard to leave, but knowing I could come back again made it much easier to turn and leave. Saria helped…and her ocarina really proved useful, too…_

_It's funny to think of it…but I never really left home, did I…? my heart had stayed here, all along…_

_Mido:_

_He's an IDIOT! Such an IDIOT! Leaving like that! Acting so tough!...but…I guess it was all for the best in the end…though at first I blamed __'im for everything bad that's happening, I think now that maybe he's the one who can fix it…that maybe it was never his fault all this happened…I guess I owe 'im…well, he'll be back, I know he will, after all I told 'im to come back!...well…sort of…but he knows, I'm sure he does. Even if I pretend to hate 'im, I don't…I just….hate how __**different**__ he is…but I can't bring myself to actually hate __**him**__._

_It's been dark and eerie in the forest since he left…maybe…he failed? Wait, what? NO! NO WAY! Not that stubborn DORK! He'd never give up! That just ain't the way he rolls! Besides! I gave him the Kokiri Sword! With my sword he'll be fine! Yeah! Everything'll be fine! An' Saria'll be back soon!_


	2. Chapter 1: Monsters in the Lost Woods

the legend of

Zelda

forever my rival, forever my friend

_AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey guys! If you've read this far, thankyou! I hope you're enjoying the story! Basically I just want to let you know that this story is predominantly 3__rd__ person but switches points of view and MAY (can't say for sure) but MAY switch between 3__rd__ and 1__st__ person depending on the requirements for the chapters :) you may note some game-related jokes, too XD, enjoy~!_

_Rivers_

**CHAPTER 1: MONSTERS IN THE LOST WOODS**

Link:

"Watch out!" Navi called, dashing over to circle above a monster's head, to warn her companion. Link immediately responded by cutting down the creature, turning to fight the others as they appeared. Pleased with his work he sheathed the mighty Master sword in its scabbard, though he kept his shield strapped to his arm, in case he needed to defend himself. As he walked through the strangely different woods, Navi talked to him, sat atop his head as his hat was. The silent-as-ever young man continued through the forest, defeating monsters and weeding out Deku Babas left, right and centre…it worried him, how many creatures infested the woods…and the dark energy he could feel…

"Hey Link…you don't think that Ganondorf's evil magic even reached here, now that the Deku tree is gone, do you?" Navi asked, sounding scared. Link frowned in response, uttering a slight sound of worry, making it clear that he thought it a frightening prospect as well. He has always been a man of few words, so Navi was used to his silence.

After working his was through the thick undergrowth and the hoards of evil beasts, he found himself in very nostalgic surroundings…

"Link! It's the Kokiri village!" Navi exclaimed, jumping up and flittering off ahead, to look around.

"Be careful." Link called softly, sticking to as few words as possible. He glanced around as he heard the sounds of creatures sneaking through the tall-grass in the shadows. With every rustle of the leaves or creaking of the old wooden bridges across the rooftop, his long, Hylian ears twitched, searching for signs of danger in the distance of the noises. When he suddenly heard a loud battle-cry he immediately broke into a sprint, leaving Navi behind him, well and truly, such was his speed.

Mido:

The Wolfos were pack hunters and THIS pack had their sights set on him: Mido, the boss of the Kokiri.

"I won't let you take this place!" he growled, raising his Deku stick high over his head as he cried. "GET OUT OF OUR FOREST!"

He fought hard, as was his nature, but Mido was merely a child and he had no sword (since he had given it to Link) and no shield. All he had was his Deku stick, which was becoming weak a brittle, which a Wolfos swiftly bit in half in a single, effortless snap. Before he saw him –just as a Wolfos leapt at him for the kill- a mad clad in….wait…Kokiri clothing…? Appeared from nowhere. A shining metal shield was lashed to his right arm and in his hand was a magnificent sword, blue-metal hilt and softly glowing blade.

He defeated the Wolfos with one strike each, sheathing his sword on his back and hooking the handle of his shield over the scabbard as well.

"wha…? H-hey, who are you? What are you doing in our forest?" Mido demanded, getting to his feet and glaring crossly at the stranger.

When the man turned something seemed very oddly familiar about him…somehow though, Mido couldn't place it…

Link:

As Link turned to see if the boy was alright, a familiar, scathing voice rang in his pointed ears.

"Who are you? What are you doing in out forest?" The voice demanded. Link couldn't hide his shock, blue eyes widening in amazement as he found himself face-to-face with none other than…

"…Mido…?" The child looked nothing short of the same: short, unkempt blond hair, those same scolding grey-blue eyes and, strangest of all, the same short little child from 7 years ago.

"It's Mido! No way!" Navi exclaimed, having caught up at last. She flittered over and was immediately accosted by Mido's fairy partner.

"Navi! It's you!" the fairy exclaimed, dancing in happy little loops with the other, blue fairy.

Luckily, Mido never heard the fairy's name, he was too busy fuming to listen.

Mido:

"How DARE you address me, the great Mido, so casually? And how d'you even know me, anyhow?" The Kokiri boy exclaimed, positively livid.

"Why you givin' me that 'I know you' look? Whatcha' want, pops? I don't like intruders in my village!" He growled, regarding the eerily familiar young elf with what could only be disdain.

'and why…does **he** come to mind…?' he mused to himself, still glaring icily at the man.

Link:

Link was utterly shocked. 'How…could I be older after 7 years and Mido not have grown at all…?' It baffled him, but he remained ever-silent, not sure he wanted to tell Mido who he was…

Mido:

"Whoever you are, you have to GET OUT! I promised Saria I wouldn't let no-one get in our forest!" Mido snapped, running off towards the forest temple with his broken Deku stick in hand.

He stopped running though, when a huge beast towered before him, a menacing, pug-like face snarling down at him, with glowing red eyes, as it raised its mighty hammer over its head.

Link:

Mido couldn't outrun Link even in childhood, because of his Hylian descent, so he was hardly even trying to keep up with the boy now. He broke into a proper run, however, when the creature appeared, barring the way to the forest temple…barring the way to Saria. He then realized that Mido was at its feet as it raised its hammer to strike.

"its weak spot is here!" Navi called, pointing to a gap in its armor on its back, before flying up to flit around the beast's head to distract it.

Link pulled his sword and shield again, leaping into a fierce duel with the beast. Mido simply watched in awe as the elf fought valiantly with the monster.

Mido:

Something seemed strange though…the way the elf was wielding his blade seemed familiar…the elf skillfully ducked behind the enemy, and slashed across its exposed back in a spinning attack that seemed all too familiar to Mido, and the monster disappeared into a cloud of black smoke.

"…thanks, pops, but you didn't need to kill it for me! I'm not weak, I could have handled it!" he snapped, disregarding the hand the man offered him.

"why are you still here, anyways? I told you to get out! Scram!" He turned to stomp away angrily, headed towards the forest temple.

Link:

Link looked rather hurt by the harsh tone in his old friend's voice, pausing for some time before he seemed to have an idea, pulling his Ocarina from his pocket. A soft tune then began to lilt through the thick, foggy air and Mido immediately stopped dead as the song whistled from the small instrument.

"…" Link looked up at the boy, wordlessly, expecting him to turn in a moment.

Mido:

And as expected, he did. He turned to face the elf with a surprised look plastered on his face.

"That…that's Saria's song…she was always playing that song. She only taught it to her friends" He said, frowning. "do you know Saria, Mister?" Link nodded slightly in reply. "Please, Mister, you have to help Saria! She went into the forest temple after all the monsters started appearing…she hasn't come back…please help me save her, Mister! You're strong, you can do it, right?" Link nodded, confidently to he is old friend and put the Ocarina back in his pocket, to prepare to leave for the temple.


	3. Chapter 2: The Ganon Phantom

AUTHOR'S NOTES: _hi guys! thanks again for reading and I am SO SORRY I haven't updated! DX anyhow, just wanted to let you know that I am SO thankful for all of you reading this ^^ also, I would like to inform you that in some chapters (namely this one) I may follow the Manga version of the story, though I still stick to game premises as much as possible (hence the mention of the poe sisters) so yeah, just a warning on that :) thanks again for putting up with my lack of updates and terrible writing XD_

**CHAPTER 2: THE GANON PHANTOM**

Link and Mido ventured bravely into the Forest Temple and all around they could hear the skittering of spiders and monsters in the shadows cast by the great walls. The Temple was filled with booby-traps and monsters and barring the way to the inner temple was the dreadful poe sisters. Mido had watched in awe as his Hylian companion had dispatched the four ghosts despite their cunning tactics -hiding in paintings and making fakes of themselves- and as the four coloured flames returned to the pedestals a panel in the floor rose up, revealing some sort of elevator.

Mido followed behind Link as the Hylian stepped onto the lift, the wooden frame creaking as it lowered into the room below. After climbing some stairs they found themselves in a small round round, with 6 identical paintings on the walls. As they walked into the center of the room, where a large triforce symbol was emblazoned on the floor beneath their feet, Mido sighed, complaining that there was nothing there and went to leave, standing on the stairs to wait for his companion to follow. However, as Link turned to follow him, bars shot up from the floor, trapping him in the room.

"**Mister!"** Mido cried, pointing to one of the paintings as Ganondorf suddenly appeared within, a mask of bone appearing on his face. Link went to slash at the phantom with the Master sword, but it retreated into the painting, rendering his strike useless.

"**tch!"** he hissed, narrowly rolling aside of a magical attack from behind him, as the Phantom leapt over him and back into the painting on the other side.

"**Mister! Use this!"** Mido called, pulling a bow and quiver of arrows from where they hung on brackets on the wall, throwing them through the bars to Link. How they had gotten their puzzled him, he was sure they hadn't been there when they walked in...

Link made a dive for the weapon, grabbing an arrow and pulling it back on the bowstring. As the phantom leapt from the painting, the Hylian loosed the arrow, the shot piercing the phantom's armour and embedding into it. The phantom growled in pain and anger and leapt back into the painting again, before appearing in the one behind Link, surprising the swordsman and landing a blow on his shoulder, blood spattering the floor from the wound. Link recovered quickly and turned to fire another arrow at the phantom, striking it just before it reached the painting.

Mido was alarmed by the blood and called to the Hylian. **"Hey, are you alright?"**

The beast had disappeared into the painting again but after a moment it began charging from within the painting again. Strangely, though, it turned at the last second and fled into the painting again, but behind Link, the REAL phantom leapt from the painting directly opposite shocking the Hylian with an electrical attack. Link at first seemed beaten, dropping to his knees with a pained grunt, shuddering from the electric shock, but he quickly got back up –albeit shakily- pulling another arrow on the bow, determined to finish off the beast. **"Mister! Look out behind you!"** Link turned again and fired, trusting Mido's warning and hoping he was right, proving his faith was worth it when his arrow struck dead in the forehead of the phantom's horse, which then faded into smoke. The phantom growled angrily as it jumped down to hover just above the floor, spear in hand, ready to battle.

Link put the bow away and readied his sword, his grip on the handle seeming a bit shaky from his wounded shoulder, shield held in front of him to protect him. The phantom Ganon threw a magic bolt towards Link, which was easily dodged, and immediately the Hylian counter-attacked. However, to his shock and dismay, the sword made no effect and even if he were to try his arrows, he knew the beast would dodge them all. He snarled in frustration, but as he heard the familiar **"Hey! Listen!"** from Navi, he briefly turned his attention to the fairy, long enough to hear what she had to say.

"**The Master sword can absorb and return evil magic!"** She said, flittering out of the way as Link nodded and lifted his sword to be ready. His foe sought to attack again, however this time Link was ready and stood firm as the bolt of magic neared him. At the last second he swung his sword, the magic being drawn around the balde and into the triforce symbol emblazoned on it's surface, he then swung again, the bolt firing back the way it came from the blade's tip. The Phantom quickly hit the blast back again, but once more Link returned the bolt and this time it had been accelerated enough that now the beast could not dodge or return it. As the attack shocked it, the phantom collapsed from the air, briefly paralyzed by his own magic.

Link seized the opportunity and attacked, knocking off the phantom Ganon's helmet and leaving behind a long slash from the Master sword's blade. The creature then broke free of its paralysis and jumped back into the air, attempting to attack Link again, but still the determined swordsman rolled away from the attack. The duel raged on, rounding the bolts of magic between them twice more, before the creature noticeably began to weaken. **"one more strike and it's done! you can do it!"** Navi called, hovering above the beast's head. But Link also appeared to be running out of stamina, his movements slowing and his reaction time seeming sluggish. His wound was beginning to get the better of him, it seemed.

"**c'mon Mister! You can do this! We're counting on you, **_**Saria's **_**counting on you!"** Mido called, seeing his companion's strength beginning to wane. When Link heard Saria's name called to him, he remembered what he had come here to do...what he needed to do to protect the people and the kingdom he loved. He was weakened, yes, but he didn't dare to give in just yet. Just as the beast fired it's final attack, a powerful bolt it was sure would finish off the Hylian, the Master sword's chosen wielder rose to his feet with a fierce battle cry and gave the blue-hilted sword a mighty swing, the shot flying straight back at the phantom and blowing a hole clean through its chest. With a wail of rage and agony, the beast dissipated into black mist and faded away.

"**YEAH! Alright, you did it, Mister!"** Mido cried, jumping up and down excitedly behind the bars. Then, at that moment, the painting at the head of the room began glowing...


End file.
